Samarzich’s Brace Paces Kentucky Past High Point in Shutout Win
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Junior forward Tanya
Samarzich recorded her first-career brace and freshman goalkeeper Evangeline
Soucie charted her first-career clean sheet as the University of Kentucky women’s
soccer team blanked the High Point Panthers, 3-0 on Sunday at the Wendell &
Vickie Bell Soccer Complex to win its second consecutive match.
With the win, Kentucky improves to 2-2-1 on
the season.
Samarzich has now scored three goals in the
last two games for Kentucky, as she also scored the equalizer on Friday night
as part of Kentucky’s come-from-behind win at Louisville, 3-1.
Kentucky started the match on the front foot,
tallying the first four shots of the match inside the first 15 minutes of play
before Samarzich broke open the scoring in the 16th minute to give Kentucky the
1-0 lead. Zoe Swift played the ball from the right side in the air from about
30 yards perfectly weighted to the near post, where Samarzich was making a
slashing run and Samarzich’s header was pushed past keeper Alex Hank.
The Wildcats would double their lead just
before the stroke of halftime as Kalli Vogel, who was on the field for the
first time as a Kentucky player, scored in the 42nd minute. Vogel
was played a ball from Swift, who picked up her second assist in the match, and
finished it past the keeper. Vogel, a freshman, was on the field for a grand
total of 25 seconds before her tally.
Kentucky would take a 2-0 lead into the locker
room at halftime, and add an additional insurance goal in the 71st minute
through the leg of Samarzich. The Mexican National Team player was on the receiving
end of a great ball from freshman Gina Crosetti after a turnover just outside
the 18-yard box, as Samarzich slotted home her third goal of the season.
After a brilliant performance in net Friday
night on the road in the Battle of the Bluegrass, Soucie picked up her first
career clean sheet as a Wildcat, making four saves in the match. Under the
direction of Ian Carry, she has a below 2.00 GAA for the first time since
opening weekend.
One of the best signs for Kentucky on Sunday afternoon
was a season-high 19 shots, as 13 different players took a swipe on net, with
midfielder and senior captain Kaitlin Miller and Samarzich leading the charge
with three each.
Kentucky will stay in the Bluegrass State for
the week and welcome in the No. 5 Florida Gators to the Bell Soccer Complex for
a nationally-televised match as the SEC Network kicks off its unprecedented
coverage of women’s college soccer. Jenn Hildreth and former Olympic gold
medalist Heather Mitts will have the call from Lexington.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s soccer team, follow @UKWomensSoccer on Twitter,
Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.